John Brooks scored a goal but Hertha Berlin's Champions League hopes took a huge dent as they suffered a loss to Köln in what was a drab weekend for most Americans in Germany.

Köln 4-2 Hertha Berlin

A hat trick from Anthony Modeste helped Köln to a comfortable win over Hertha Berlin at the RheinEnergie Stadium, putting the capital team's chances of qualifying for the Champions League in serious danger.

John Brooks started and played the entire game for Hertha in the losing effort.

Yuya Osako gave the Billy Goats the early lead when he blasted in a long-range effort that Hertha goalkeeper that Rune Jarstein had no chance of stopping.

The rest of the game would belong to Modeste as the Frenchman scored his 20th goal of the season in 35th minute when he collected a pass from Osako and burried the ball in the back of the net from just inside the area.

Modeste scored his second with minutes after the first when Hertha were dispossessed of the ball at midfield and Matthias Lehmann lobbed a pass over the defense to the striker who had no problems putting his shot past Jarstein.

Vedad Ibisevic would give Hertha a lifeline just minutes into the second half when he converted from the penalty spot.

However, Modeste would restore Köln's three-goal advantage in the 63rd minute when he collected a pass from Marco Höger, flew past Brooks in a foot race and coolly slotted the ball past Jarstein to complete his hat trick.

Brooks would score a consolation goal for Hertha in the 69th minute from a corner kick, but the damage was already done.

The loss leaves Hertha in fifth place in the Bundesliga standings with 40 points, five points behind Hoffenheim for the fourth Champions League spot.

Notes

Both Christian Pulisic and Alfredo Morales started for their respective teams as Borussia Dortmund earned a 1-0 win over Ingolstadt.

Timmy Chandler and Bobby Wood started for their teams as Eintracht Frankfurt and Hamburg shared the points after a 0-0 tie.

Aron Johannsson came off the bench for Werder Bremen in their 3-0 win over RB Leipzig.

Julian Green watched from the bench in Stuttgart's 1-0 loss to Greuther Fürth. The team have now dropped to second place in the 2.Bundesliga standings.

Russell Canouse watched from the bench in Bochum's 1-1 tie with Erzgebirge Aue.